There goes the neighborhood.

[Mike Powell]

www.newsmax.com/insidecover/montana_jail_gitmo/2009/04/24/207153.html?s=al&promo_code=7EAA-1

[Diane Merkel]

I heard about that on the radio last night.

If the TERRORISTS are moved from Gitmo to Hardin, won't that be considered torture?

Wasn't Obama made an official member of the Crow tribe? Surely, he won't turn his back on his tribesmen.

Note the Senator's attitude -- typical.

[Mike Powell]

Doubtful it would qualify as torture, though I've never spent a night in Hardin. Certainly would be torture if they were forced to play dodge ball.

Senator Baucus may be displaying some ethnic and/or religious bias here, perhaps preferring only decent white Christian terrorists.

[Diane Merkel]

;D ;D ;D

[El Crab]

Hardin, eh? I once spent a month in Hardin one night.

[ignimbrite]

Here's the latest twist

www.helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/article_189f7688-a02d-11de-b8df-001cc4c03286.html

City officials have searched from Vermont to Alaska for inmate contracts to fill the jail, only to be turned down at every turn and see the bonds that financed its construction fall into default. They even floated the idea of housing prisoners from Guantanamo Bay at the jail.

So when Hardin officials announced this week that they had signed a deal with a California company to fill the empty jail, it was naturally a cause for celebration. Town officials talked about throwing a party to mark the occasion, their dreams of economic salvation a step closer to being realized.

But questions are emerging over the legitimacy of the company, American Police Force.

Government contract databases show no record of the company. Security industry representatives and federal officials said they had never heard of it. On its Web site, the company lists as its headquarters a building in Washington near the White House that holds "virtual offices." A spokeswoman for the building said American Police Force never completed its application to use the address.

Another story in the Billings Gazette reports that the executive director of the Two Rivers Authority who "owns" the prison was placed on paid leave. Fun times in Hardin.

Ruth

[bc]

Sept 17, 2009 21:46:36 GMT -6 ignimbrite said:

Here's the latest twist

www.helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/article_189f7688-a02d-11de-b8df-001cc4c03286.html

City officials have searched from Vermont to Alaska for inmate contracts to fill the jail, only to be turned down at every turn and see the bonds that financed its construction fall into default. They even floated the idea of housing prisoners from Guantanamo Bay at the jail.

So when Hardin officials announced this week that they had signed a deal with a California company to fill the empty jail, it was naturally a cause for celebration. Town officials talked about throwing a party to mark the occasion, their dreams of economic salvation a step closer to being realized.

But questions are emerging over the legitimacy of the company, American Police Force.

Government contract databases show no record of the company. Security industry representatives and federal officials said they had never heard of it. On its Web site, the company lists as its headquarters a building in Washington near the White House that holds "virtual offices." A spokeswoman for the building said American Police Force never completed its application to use the address.

Another story in the Billings Gazette reports that the executive director of the Two Rivers Authority who "owns" the prison was placed on paid leave. Fun times in Hardin.

Ruth

Sounds like hard times in Hardin. Why don't they sell it to the BIA so it can become a housing project for the Crows? The way the BIA treats the NAs, the prison design probably already matches a BIA architect's rendition of a NA housing project already on file in Washington. With steel bars and doors, all the occupants will be secure from attack from local gangs and other roaming thugs. (instead of keeping the bad guys in, the theory is to keep the bad guys out). Since about every Crow owns a horse, they have a ready built corral as well to hold them.

bc

[ignimbrite]

bc writes

Sounds like hard times in Hardin


That's true. Mine was a flippant remark. Hardin, as many other places, needs all the economic assistance it can get.

The jail story took a unique turn a day or so ago. Quote from the Billings Gazette...

Michael Hilton of American Police Force arrived in Hardin with promises of Mercedes police cars and expertise in operating prisons. He delivered the cars last week, but may have learned about prisons following a 1993 conviction for grand theft.

Public records from police and state and federal courts in California show that Michael Anthony Hilton, using that name and more than a dozen aliases over several years, is cited in multiple criminal, civil and bankruptcy cases, and was sentenced in 1993 to two years in state prison in California.

billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_023e1c90-ae1b-11de-8891-001cc4c03286.html

This whole thing gets more and more surreal. The Gazette has several related stories. At least one reader comment suggests a movie script or at least a mini-series could come out of all of this. Rough on those folks who hoped for employment, though.

Ruth

[clw]

All that stuff dc posted on this subject (on another thread of course entitled This Should Go Well) makes facinating reading. I live in a small town with a prison and a juvenile facility. They are big economic engines in this community. We lose a prisoner now and then but the swamp and the skeeters keep runners to a minimum. -- that and the fact that the general public is armed and dangerous in such situations. I imagine Hardin is similar. With prisons so overcrowded nationwide, it seems odd there's no credible takers for the Hardin facility.

As to 'private security' entities, bottom line is that where there is money to be made anything is possible if you have a good lawyer.

[BrokenSword]

“…Michael Hilton of American Police Force arrived in Hardin with promises of Mercedes police cars … He delivered the cars last week, but may have learned about prisons following a 1993 conviction for grand theft…”

Have to wonder. Has anyone run the VINs of those Mercedes?

BasicallySuspicious

[bc]

All it takes is money for Mercedes vehicles. I smell the CIA being involved. We know the BIA doesn't have any money. You don't need a prison for a police training facility and especially one that has to have another 30 million in improvements as you can build one of those anywhere with that kind of money. And who would waste private money for such a thing except for maybe Blackwater with a CIA contract. Unless this is one of those right wing militia operations who has some foreign backing.

Any escapees from a Hardin prison will also have to worry about losing their scalps.

bc

[zekesgirl]

I'm going to go with the right wing militia being involved. Of course, who's to say that the CIA is not involved with them also?

[ignimbrite]

clw writes

With prisons so overcrowded nationwide, it seems odd there's no credible takers for the Hardin facility

It's been awhile since I read about it, but I think the problem is the poor layout of the jail. Something like 25 bed dormitories, lots of common rooms and very limited containment areas among other issues. It also doesn't help that Hardin doesn't have a police force, so in case of trouble at the facility it's only the Big Horn County sheriff or waiting and hoping a SWAT team shows up from Billings.

From another Billings Gazette article -

Mafi guaranteed the Sept. 10 purchase of two Mercedes SUVs by Hilton as part of his plans for the jail. They were among three Mercedes that Hilton brought to Montana last week, saying he intended to turn over to Hardin for use by law enforcement.

A financing payment on at least one of the vehicles is now overdue.

Only one Mercedes remains in Montana. It's being driven by Shay, who said Friday that she intends to register it soon.

Mafi is the California lawyer who severed ties with the American Police Force yesterday. I wonder where the other two SUVs are?


Ruth

[ignimbrite]

This article is from Nov. 2009, but since it involves the goats, hamsters, other various critters and the Hardin jail, I figured the crowd here would enjoy it.



www.billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_b1a474fe-c9d2-11de-8e01-001cc4c002e0.html


Ruth